In place of today's Ružinov there were originally meadows, pastures, grasslands and woodland, interspersed with islands and channels of the Danube. The people living here worked in agriculture, ranching and logging. In the 19th century, the agricultural character of the area was slowly disappearing, as many new factories were built in the area. The current name was only coined in the 20th century, and is based on the term Ružový ostrov, which translates as the Rose Island (German: Rosenheim).

Despite its industrial character, Ružinov is considered to be a relatively green part of Bratislava. In contrast to other city districts, it is rich in streams and lakes (such as Rohlík lake), with a total water area of 616,000 m². At the heart of Ružinov there is the Štrkovec Lake area, a major recreational and sporting centre for Bratislava. Other lakes include Zlaté Piesky, a major summer resort, Rohlík and Kuchajda.